Murrumbateman
| pop_footnotes = | elevation= | coordinates = | maxtemp = | mintemp = | rainfall = | stategov = Goulburn | fedgov = Eden-Monaro | dist1 = 288 | dir1 = SW | location1= Sydney | dist2 = 30 | dir2 = N | location2= Canberra | dist3 = 21 | dir3 = SE | location3= Yass | near-nw = Marchmont | near-n = Yass River | near-ne = Yass River | near-w = Boambolo | near-e = Nanima | near-sw = Cavan | near-s = Jeir | near-se = Springrange }} Murrumbateman is a village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the Barton Highway, approximately 30 kilometres north-west of Canberra, and is part of the Yass Valley Shire. At the , Murrumbateman had a population of 3,219 people. Economy With the arrival of European settlers in the 19th century sheep farming, wheat growing and goldmining became major economic activities. Winemaking began in Murrumbateman in the 1970s with some of the surrounding rural properties being developed as grape growing areas or as boutique wineries. In recent years much of the land has been subdivided into small hobby farm blocks ranging from . Similar subdivisions have occurred in other regions around Canberra including Bungendore, Sutton, Gundaroo and Burra. Residents tend to commute to Canberra for work rather than make a living off the small parcels of land. Other nearby towns are Yass, Gunning and Dalton. The Murrumbateman village has a pub and a handful of retail outlets. The Murrumbateman Village Market is held fortnightly at the Recreation Ground. The market focus is on local produce and local arts and crafts but there is always a range of products from the wider Yass Valley and beyond including fruit and vegetables, breads, cakes, jams, olives, chillies, sauces, biodynamic beef and a range of wines from the local area plus woollen and alpaca products and handmade goods of all types.Murrumbateman Village Market. Access date: 18 August 2016. Annual events * The Murrumbateman Field Day is held in October each year and draws large crowds from Canberra and YassMurrumbateman Field Days. Access date: 18 August 2016. * The Australian Cool Climate Wine Show is held annually in SeptemberAustralian Cool Climate Wine Show. Access date: 18 August 2016. Facilities and services Murrumbateman has the following: *Village Market - Saturday morning on 2nd and 4th Saturday each month *Park *Public toilets *Motel next to a takeaway store *Petrol station/supermarket *Garage *Accountant *Butcher *Rural supplies store *Pub *Guesthouses *Restaurants *Wineries *Australia Post agency *Hair & beauty salon *Dentist *Doctor *Pharmacy *Veterinary clinic *Dance school *Pre-school *Family day care *Library *Catholic Church *Uniting Church *I.T. specialist *Landcare group New development The Fairley Estate, a new 100 home subdivision at Murrumbateman, will add 60 per cent more housing to the village and trigger other infrastructure and commercial developments. Consisting of 19 hectares adjoining the village, the new subdivision is named Fairley after a Murrumbateman teacher of the 1800s. It will include a commercial and tourist precinct with an international hotel chain as a tenant, boutique brewery, bakery, childcare, visitors' centre and cafe and children's park, medical services and post office. Fairley Estate. Access date: 18 August 2016. Notable people * Sir Walter Merriman – sheep breeder, knighted in 1954 for his contributions to the fine wool industry, and founder of the Merryville stud, MurrumbatemanG. P. Walsh, 'Merriman, Sir Walter Thomas (1882–1972)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. This article was first published in hardcopy in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol. 10, Melbourne University Press, 1986. Online access date: 18 August 2016.Merryville Stud - History. Access date: 18 August 2016. References Further reading * Dorothy Mulholland: Far away days: a history of the Murrumbateman, Jeir and Nanima districts. Murrumbateman Old School Grounds Committee, 1995. * David James Wagner, Jr.: Background notes on the district of Murrumbateman, 1824-1960. Murrumbateman, 1960. Republished online at: History of Murrumbateman (NSW), 1824-1960 Retrieved 23 August 2016. * Meryl Hunter: From the beginning: a history of the Murrumbateman Field Days to 2006. Murrumbateman Agricultural Bureau and Progress Association, 2009. External links * Murrumbateman - general website on Murrumbateman * Murrumbateman Field Days * Murrumbateman Village Market * Australian Cool Climate Wine Show * Fairley Estate * Category:Towns in New South Wales Category:Southern Tablelands Category:Yass Valley Council